The Hazardous Occupation in Agricutlural Law requires that youth ages 14 to 16 have at least 24 hours of tractor safety and maintenance instruction in order to drive a tractor on a farm orther than that owned by their parents.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County is offering a Tractor Safety Certification Course for Youth this spring. This is open to all youth and not just 4-H members.

Cost: $35 (includes student manual)

Registration Deadline: March 7, 2015

To Register or for more information: 315-255-1183

Times: Mondays from 6-9 p.m.: March 16, 23, 30; April 13, 20; and testing is Saturday, April 25th and begins at 12:30 p.m.

Location: Various farms and locations around Cayuga County so that we are able to provide a hands on awareness to balance the workbook learning segments.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County is hosting Cornell's Pro-Dairy 2015 Winter Dairy Management Program on Wednesday, March 11th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 74 State Street, Auburn, NY. Cost of the program is $35 which includes morning break and lunch.

Impacting dairy farm profitability via milk components will be the focus of the program. Cornell University’s Pro-Dairy team members Kathy Barrett and Dr. Tom Overton will address topics which include: Milk Components Impact on Milk Check, Understanding Income over Feed Costs and Dairy Nutrition’s Impact on Milk Components. In addition, a farmer panel will discuss Feeding for Milk Components. Farm Service Agency borrower credit is available.

Registration is needed by Wednesday, March 4th. Reservations and payment can be made online by going to: http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccecayuga and clicking on the Registration Link. You can also register by calling Peggy Lille at 315-255-1183 (ext. 238). For more information, please email Judy Wright at jlw24@cornell.edu or call her at 315-255-1183 (ext. 234). Space is limited, register early and save your seat!

Each Year the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) makes approximately 60,000 day old pheasant chicks available for individuals to raise and release on public lands. The program known as the Cooperative Day-old Pheasant Chick Program (DOCP) was designed to assist in revitalizing the ring-necked pheasant population in the area.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County is a facilitator of the DOCP program and helps to order and distribute the day old chicks to participating individuals.

Anyone can apply to participate in the Day-old Pheasant Chick Program, this includes 4-H members, schools, clubs and members of the community.

Participants must have appropriate brooding facility and outdoor rearing pen.

Release sites must be open to the public for pheasant hunting.

Applications for chicks must be submitted before noon on Friday, March 13th, 2015

Participants should be familiar with the DEC pheasant rearing guide http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/dayoldchicks.pdf

Chicks MUST be picked up on the day of delivery, which is scheduled for mid-May.

Pheasants must be released at 8 weeks of age or older, but no later than the end of pheasant hunting season.

Pheasant chicks are not to be purchased, sold or traded.

For further information regarding the DOCP program OR to order pheasant chicks for rearing and release on public lands, call Peggy Lillie (ext. 238) Cornell Cooperative Extension at 315-255-1183. You can also order online by going to: https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/cayugapheasants13-2-2_205. Order DEADLINE is Friday March 13, 2015. Chicks will be available for pick up at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County office (248 Grant Avenue, Auburn, NY) in mid-May.

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